Imran Khan's party moves High Court, terms his arrest 'abduction at gunpoint'

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf PTI party on Saturday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court terming the arrest of its chief Imran Khan as abduction at gunpoint by the Punjab police.Petitioner Umair Niazi, PTI additional secretary general, requested the court to take up his petition without any delay and direct the Punjab police and government to produce the former prime minister before it to ensure his safety.The government has kept Mr Khan in illegal custody.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Saturday filed a petition in the Lahore High Court terming the arrest of its chief Imran Khan as ''abduction at gunpoint'' by the Punjab police.

Petitioner Umair Niazi, PTI additional secretary general, requested the court to take up his petition without any delay and direct the Punjab police and government to produce the former prime minister before it to ensure his safety.

''The government has kept Mr Khan in illegal custody. Imran Khan was attending a meeting at his Zaman Park residence at 12:45 pm today when some 200 policemen barged into the house and abducted him at gunpoint. They are keeping him in illegal custody,'' the petitioner said, and requested the court to take up the petition today (Saturday) itself and order the authorities to produce him before it.

Niazi alleged the police ''kidnapped'' Khan without showing him the court order of his conviction in Toshakhana case. Khan has been taken to an undisclosed location, thereby, it is requested to produce him before the LHC, Niazi pleaded before the court.

Earlier in the day, 70-year-old Khan was arrested from his Zaman Park residence in Lahore after the Islamabad trial court convicted him in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three-year imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court Bar Association condemned the conviction of Khan, saying, ''it is a slaughter of justice and violation of law pertaining to fair trial''.